Modular Forward Assist for Firearms Using Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional forward assists on firearms require special tools for disassembly and customization, making the process time-consuming and cumbersome.
Innovation Solution
A modular forward assist design that allows for quick replacement of components without special tools, featuring a slidingly attachable and detachable plunger and button assembly that can be installed on an AR platform firearm, enabling customization with minimal disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional forward assist assembly is used, then the forward assist function is provided, but customization requires special tools and time-consuming disassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The forward assist assembly is divided into separate modular components: a button component and a forward assist component. The button component can be independently removed from the forward assist component by simply pulling it off the plunger, allowing customization without special tools. This segmentation enables users to swap different button components (e.g., different colors, materials, or styles) while keeping the functional forward assist component intact.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional forward assist assembly is used, then the forward assist function is provided, but replacement of components is time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The button component is designed as a separate, easily detachable element from the forward assist component. The button simply slides off the plunger in a snap-fit manner, allowing rapid replacement without tools or complex disassembly procedures. Users can quickly swap buttons for different colors, materials, or styles in seconds rather than minutes or hours.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection between the button component and forward assist component is designed to be dynamically changeable - easily attachable and detachable without permanent fastening. The button component features a geometry that allows it to slide onto and off the plunger freely, enabling rapid reconfiguration and customization as user preferences change.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional forward assist assembly is used, then the forward assist function is provided, but special tools are required for disassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The button component is designed as a separate, tool-free removable element. It attaches to and detaches from the forward assist component through simple geometric compatibility - the button's outer dimensions match the plunger's outer dimensions, allowing it to slide on and off without any special tools, fasteners, or disassembly procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The button component is designed to be user-serviceable without requiring specialized tools or technical expertise. The simple snap-fit design allows any user to remove and replace the button component themselves, eliminating the need for manufacturer-specific tools or professional service intervention for customization purposes.
Data Source
AI summary
A device implementable on a firearm includes a forward assist assembly which is configured to be installed on an upper receiver of the firearm. When pressed, the forward assist assembly moves along a longitudinal axis thereof to engage with a serration cut on a bolt carrier of the firearm to push the bolt carrier forward with respect to the upper receiver when pressed. The forward assist assembly includes a modular component slidingly attachable to and detachable from the forward assist assembly.